Three years after his maiden Dakar success, Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Team/ Michelin) finished on top again to earn Michelin’s 36th victory on the cross-country classic, as well as KTM’s 18th on the trot in association with the French tyre firm. The Australian finished clear of his team-mate and last year’s victor Matthias Walkner, while Sam Sunderland (Red Bull KTM Factory Team/Michelin) made it an all-KTM/Michelin top three.

After winning last season’s visit to Marrakech, Mahindra Racing finished on top again this time around thanks to Jérôme d’Ambrosio who was joined on the podium by Envision Virgin Racing’s Robin Frijns and Sam Bird. Antonio Felix da Costa tangled late in the race with his BMW I Andretti Motorsport team-mate while leading, and defending champion Jean-Eric Vergne (Techeetah) span at the race’s first turn.

FIA WEC - Toyota and Michelin win in rainy Shanghai

FIA WRC - Sixth WRC title for Ogier and Toyota’s fourth, all with Michelin

Round 1 of the 2018/2019 Formula E Championship in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, was won by Antonio Felix da Costa. The Portuguese BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver was joined on the podium by Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah/Michelin) and Jérôme d’Ambrosio (Mahindra Racing/Michelin).

FIA Formula E: Michelin and the Gen2 cars in action at Valencia

Formula E’s latest-generation, all-electric, Michelin Pilot Sport-equipped ‘Gen2’ single-seaters were in action this week at Valencia, Spain, where an official test was organised to allow teams to prepare for the 2018/2019 championship’s opening clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 15.

After their unveiling at March’s Geneva Motor Show, the FIA Formula E Championship’s Gen2 cars took to the track this week at Circuit Ricardo Tormo (3.094km) near Valencia, Spain, where a three-day collective test was attended by the 11 teams and the majority of the drivers registered for the 2018/2019 series.

The more powerful (250kW/335hp) and faster cars (top speed: 280kph), which benefit from additional range, were equipped with Michelin’s new Pilot Sport tyre and teams faced a variety of conditions ranging from dry to wet.

“The work on our new tyre focused essentially on energy efficiency and saving weight,” says Serge Grisin, the manager of Michelin Motorsport’s Formula E programme. “It is worth noting that four latest-generation Pilot Sports weigh the same as three Season 1 tyres, and this unsprung-weight advantage makes a real contribution to the new cars’ enhanced performance. The feedback we got from our partner teams and drivers was very positive and backs up the results of our own private testing when we saw that the new Pilot Sport delivers improved grip and stability.”

As a circuit, Valencia marks a big contrast to the street venues that will host the 2018/2019 championship’s 13 races but the Gen2 cars proved faster than their predecessors at last October’s pre-Season 4 test at the same track.

The timesheets were dominated by Alexander Sims and Antonio Felix da Costa, the two drivers recruited by the newly-formed BMW i Andretti Motorsport team, with the latter clocking the week’s fastest lap (1m16.977s). That said, no fewer than 11 drivers completed the final session blanketed by less than a second.

A 45-minute race simulation was also staged, since the new Gen2 cars and their Michelin Pilot Sport tyres are designed to eliminate the need for mid-race car swaps.

Season 5 action will begin in earnest in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 15.

A number of key decisions were taken at the FIA World Council meeting that was held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 5. Many of them referred to some of the global championships in which Michelin is active, namely the WEC, WRC and Formula E.

After claiming the season’s opener in Qatar, Andrea Dovizioso concluded the 2018 MotoGPTM World Championship with victory in Valencia. The Italian was unfazed when the race was red flagged due to heavy rain and he went on to finish clear of Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR/Michelin) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing/Michelin).

The N°7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid/Michelin of Conway/Kobayashi/Lopez and the N°8 sister car of Buemi/Alonso/Nakajima collected another one-two finish for the Japanese make in the FIA WEC as torrential rain greeted teams to Shanghai, China. Michelin scored its 50th LM GTE Pro class victory in the championship with the N°95 Aston Martin (Sorensen/Thiim).

The 2018 Rally Australia saw Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia claim their sixth Drivers’ world title and their second with Ford/Michelin. Jari-Matti Latvala earned Toyota Gazoo Racing’s 50th world class victory to make sure of the Manufacturers’ crown with Michelin.